Category: Home & Garden

Dormant Period: What You Need to Know Before Throwing out Your Calla Lily Houseplant

If you own a calla lily houseplant, you may experience the dormancy period, which can be disappointing for people who don’t know that there’s a period where the plant looks like it died; however, this occurs during its rest period, then spring back up again. I was a bit taken aback when I noticed that my calla lily houseplant started to look droopy then eventually dried up.

calla lily dormant period
Calla Lily Coming Out of Dormancy

My calla lily houseplant started to droop and dry up at the end of the year, around December.

I tried watering it and doing everything I could to see if it would look healthy again. Unfortunately, it eventually dried up. I decided to search Google for information on calla lilies indoor plants and was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the plant was not actually dead. It was basically resting for the next season.

This is a crucial part of their life cycle, which helps them flourish and bloom the next blooming season.

Calla Lily Houseplant Care When Dormant

According to my research, I found out that all I had to do was leave it alone for at least 2 months without watering it. Then I needed to put it back in indirect light, resume watering, and wait for it to come back to life, and that’s just what I did. This was my first calla lily indoor plant, so I was not sure if this would actually work.

I left it undisturbed except for occasional watering it after a while, and it started to spring back up in March this  year. I am so happy that I did not throw it away before doing my research. So, if you notice that your calla lily is drying up and looking like it’s going to die, don’t be so quick to throw it away. Give it some time to get its well needed rest.

 

 

How I Revived My Dying Red Aglaonema Houseplant

Repotting Red Aglaonema Houseplant
Red Aglaonema After Repotted

I was so excited to see my red Aglaonema houseplant thriving, but after a while it started to look droopy.

I noticed that it grew so much after a few months, that I think the pot was becoming too small for it to survive. So, I decided to repot it.

Also, the soil was not draining the water properly or maybe I was just overwatering it, since the  red Aglaonema leaves were turning yellow.

I bought this adorable houseplant almost a year ago and instantly fell in love with it. It flourished so much that I had to divide it into two different pots. Since repotting it, I haven’t lost anymore leaves and both of them are so beautiful and vibrant.

I was amazed at at how much it flourished after repotting it. I also noticed a third plant growing.

Red Aglaonema Light Requirements

Prevent Red Aglaonema yellow leaves
Red Aglaonema Loves Indirect Light

I noticed that my Red Aglaonema doesn’t like direct light. I place mine near a window with indirect lighting and it seems to love it.

Overwatering Red Aglaonema

If you overwater your Red Aglaonema, the leaves will start to turn yellow and eventually fall off. This is one mistake I’ve also made when I just brought home my plant. The leaves and stems were starting to look like they were rotting, and the leaves were drooping a lot.

 

Watering Your Red Aglaonema

To prevent overwatering, feel the soil to determine if it’s dry, damp, or soggy. It’s okay for the first 2 to 3 inches of the soil to be dry and the bottom to be moist/damp.

I water my plant at least once every week or a little longer depending on the atmosphere. Another way I know that my plant needs watering is if the pot feels light. This is my favorite method of knowing if my plant needs watering.

Also, make sure that your Red Aglaonema is in a well-drained pot. You don’t want water to accumulate in the soil, as this will cause root rot and fungal attack.

You can keep your Red Aglaonema houseplant looking healthy and beautiful for years if you just follow these simple plant care tips.

 

Houseplants Surprises: Indoors Dieffenbachia Dumb Cane Rare Bloom

I had my Dieffenbachia, otherwise known as Dumb Cane, for less than 6 months and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was blooming. I didn’t even know that these plants could bloom. Based on my research, it looks like this is not a common occurrence, and to top it off, there were two flowers.

I saw what looked like a long green folded leaf but it was taking a long while to open. Little did I know that it was going to be a flower on this beautiful houseplant.

I woke up one morning to smell a very earthy nature smell just like when you would take a early morning walk in the park and smell the damp leaves outside. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had a blooming Dumbcane. One of the spathes were open and the other was still closed.

To some people, the smell might not be so pleasant but for me it made me felt like I was outdoors smelling the different unique smells of nature.

I was excited to see if the blooms were going to last as long as my Peace Lily, since they kind of looked similar, but unfortunately, the flower closed back after two days and didn’t open again.

Luckily for me, the other spathe did not open yet, so I had something to look forward to. The small Dumb Cane bloom did not smell so strong when it opened up and it did not stay too long before closing back up. It only showed its flower for one day and closed the next day. I am so happy that I decided to took pictures of it before it closed.

Since this was the first time my Dumb Cane houseplant was blooming, I didn’t know what to expect, so I was still hoping that it was going to bloom a flower that would last for a few days. However, I after a few days staying closed, I noticed a brown substance draining from the spathe.

I decided to cut off the blooms as it seemed like the bigger one was still growing longer and heavier and the plant was looking a little droopy. It was as if it was sucking the nutrients from the plant.

I have no idea if it will bloom again, but I was happy with even experiencing not one but two blooms. Some people said that they had their Dieffenbachia for up to 25 years and never seen it bloom. Let’s see if it will surprise me again next year.

Important Facts and Warning About Dieffenbachia/Dumb Cane:

It is said that the Dieffenbachia houseplant can be toxic if not handled correctly or if ingested. So, if you have animals or small children at home, please keep it in a location where they can’t reach it.

If ingested, it is known to cause swelling of the lips, tongue, mouth, and throat, which will lead to temporary loss of voice or even more serious issues.